Post 44j: Service to Our Fellow Man is Emphasized in Both the Bible and in the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ.

To Access This Blog's Index, Please Scroll Down To the Fifth Paragraph From the End of This Post!

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO VIEWERS OF THIS BLOG: Adds have been inserted by Google without permission from me in this blog post. They appear in the middle of sacred scriptures where they don't belong at all. They actually don't belong anywhere in this post. I advise you to ignore them. I'm doing all that I can to eliminate them, but haven't yet succeeded! If any of you know how I can arrange to have these adds eliminated please use the Comments section of this post to let me know. Thanks for your patience with this matter.

P.S. I'm not against advertising  in blogs generally. I'm certain that is an important source of income for Google. However, as you have read above I believe permission from the Blogger must be given for such to be allowed in his or her blog. (I have to tell you that just after I added this PS onto this statement of mine I noticed an add had just been added to it. At least its not right in the middle of a sacred scripture!)

J. Neil Birch

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TODAY'S THEME:

SERVING OTHERS IS EMPHASIZED BY THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND HIS PROPHETS.

King (and Prophet) Benjamin Preaches to the Nephites, -by Gary Kapp

In a Part of Mosiah, Chapter 2 . . The Prophet and King Benjamin defines and clarifies TODAY'S THEME:

Mosiah, Chapter 2:10 I have not commanded you to come up hither that ye should fear me, or that ye should think that I of myself am more than a mortal man.

11 But I am like as yourselves, subject to all manner of infirmities in body and mind; yet I have been chosen by this people, and consecrated by my father, and was suffered by the hand of the Lord that I should be a ruler and a king over this people; and have been kept and preserved by his matchless power, to serve you with all the might, mind and strength which the Lord hath granted unto me.

12 I say unto you that as I have been suffered to spend my days in your service, even up to this time, and have not sought gold nor silver nor any manner of riches of you;

13 Neither have I suffered that ye should be confined in dungeons, nor that ye should make slaves one of another, nor that ye should murder, or plunder, or steal, or commit adultery; nor even have I suffered that ye should commit any manner of wickedness, and have taught you that ye should keep the commandments of the Lord, in all things which he hath commanded you—

14 And even I, myself, have labored with mine own hands that I might serve you, and that ye should not be laden with taxes, and that there should nothing come upon you which was grievous to be borne—and of all these things which I have spoken, ye yourselves are witnesses this day.

15 Yet, my brethren (and sisters), I have not done these things that I might boast, neither do I tell these things that thereby I might accuse you; but I tell you these things that ye may know that I can answer a clear conscience before God this day.

16 Behold, I say unto you that because I said unto you that I had spent my days in your service, I do not desire to boast, for I have only been in the service of God.

17 And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.

18 Behold, ye have called me your king; and if I, whom ye call your king, do labor to serve you, then ought not ye to labor to serve one another?

19 And behold also, if I, whom ye call your king, who has spent his days in your service, and yet has been in the service of God, do merit any thanks from you, O how you ought to thank your heavenly King!

20 I say unto you, my brethren, that if you should render all the thanks and praise which your whole soul has power to possess, to that God who has created you, and has kept and preserved you, and has caused that ye should rejoice, and has granted that ye should live in peace one with another—

21 I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another—I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants. (clarification and emphasis added by Neil Birch)

Now as I did in my just previous blog post (44i) I once again emphasize that our Savior Jesus Christ's teachings are found in both the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ and in the Holy Bible.


The Bible and the Book of Mormon -by Greg K. Olsen

The subject we are dealing with in this post is that of Serving Others as King Benjamin taught in the Book of Mormon scripture above.

I now invite you to learn about true service from the teachings of our Savior, Jesus Christ in what has been labled as the Parable of the Good Samaritan as found in the Book of Luke in the New Testament. That parable is portrayed in a very touching and instructive Mormon Messages video entitled: The Good Samaritan.

However, first I invite you to read the words of our Savior Jesus Christ as he tells the Parable of The Good Samaritan as recorded in the New Testament:
(When you are ready to read this scripture I advise you to skip from verse 1 down to verse 25 to begin your reading and you probably will want to end with verse 37.)

Luke: 10:25-37

Now you are more prepared to view this touching video portrayal of the Our Savior's Parable of the Good Samaritan.

The Mormon Messages Video: The Good Samaritan

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DISCLAIMER
This Blog is not owned by or affiliated with the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the Mormon or LDS Church). The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the position of the Church.


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TO ACCESS NEIL BIRCH'S BLOG INDEX: To Either Read the Full Index Item Which Refers To This Blog Post, (Or To Search The Index For Any Other Blog Post You Desire To Access), After You Have Read All of This Paragraph, Please Scroll Back Up And Click on the Following: Service Rendered to Your Fellow Man is Urged Upon You by the Lord Jesus Christ and His Prophets. -Post 44j. When The Picture of Our Savior, Jesus Christ Sitting Next To a Little Boy Comes Onto Your Screen, Please Scroll Down In The Index To Your Target Item Or Use the Alphabetical Scrolling Device (When It Has Been Installed).

___________

"Have You Really Read the Book of Mormon?" Legal /Statement. Thank you for visiting. The author retains intellectual property and creative licensing rights. Permission to use or reprint must be given in writing. © Est.2008 Neil Birch Legal /Statement.

____________

I deeply appreciate your readership and hope you found very beneficial, that which was presented to you in this blog post.

If you have any questions about what you have read or viewed in this post or in any previous posts of mine, or if you even have a curiosity about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and or its teachings, please e-mail me. I'm Neil and my e-mail address is: jneilmelva@gmail.com. If you contact me I'll get back to you just as soon as possible.

I invite you to let your friends and relatives know about this blog if you think they would be interested in it. Please be advised that I also have an additional blog. It is in Spanish: Its content is translated from the English in this blog.

Neil Birch

Post 44i: Only After You Have Become a Member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Through Baptism Which was Authorized by that Church, Only Then Will You be Able to State: "I am a True Follower of the Lord Jesus Christ."

To Access This Blog's Index, Please Scroll Down To the Fifth Paragraph From the End of This Post!

Important Notice to Viewers of this Blog: Adds have been inserted by Google without permission from me in this blog post. They actually appear in the middle of sacred scriptures where they don't belong at all. They actually don't belong anywhere in this post. I advise you to ignore them. I'm doing all that I can in elimnating them, but have been unable to stop them thus far! If any of you know how I can arrange to have these adds eliminated please comment in the Comments section of this post. Thanks for you patience with this matter.

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TODAY'S THEME:



The True Teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ's Everlasting Gospel are Found in Both the Bible and in the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ. -Painting by Greg K. Olsen



King Benjamin Preaches to the Nephites -by Gary Kapp



THE BOOK OF MORMON, MOSIAH, CHAPTER 5 The saints become the sons and daughters of Christ through faith—They are then called by the name of Christ—King Benjamin exhorts them to be steadfast and immovable in good works. About 124 B.C.

1 AND now, it came to pass that when king Benjamin had thus spoken to his people, he sent among them, desiring to know of his people if they believed the words which he had spoken unto them.

2 And they all cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.

3 And we, ourselves, also, through the infinite goodness of God, and the manifestations of his Spirit have great views of that which is to come; and were it expedient, we could prophesy of all things.

4 And it is the faith which we have had on the things which our king has spoken unto us that has brought us to this great knowledge, whereby we do rejoice with such exceedingly great joy.

5 And we are willing to enter into a covenant with our God to do his will, and to be obedient to his commandments in all things that he shall command us, all the remainder of our days, that we may not bring upon ourselves a never-ending torment, as has been spoken by the angel, that we may not drink out of the cup of the wrath of God.

6 And now, these are the words which king Benjamin desired of them; and therefore he said unto them: Ye have spoken the words that I desired; and the covenant which ye have made is a righteous covenant.

7 And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters.

8 And under this head ye are made free, and there is no other head whereby ye can be made free. There is no other name given whereby salvation cometh; therefore, I would that ye should take upon you the name of Christ, all you that have entered into the covenant with God that ye should be obedient unto the end of your lives.

9 And it shall come to pass that whosoever doeth this shall be found at the right hand of God, for he shall know the name by which he is called; for he shall be called by the name of Christ.

10 And now it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall not take upon him the name of Christ must be called by some other name; therefore, he findeth himself on the left hand of God.

11 And I would that ye should remember also, that this is the name that I said I should give unto you that never should be blotted out, except it be through transgression; therefore, take heed that ye do not transgress, that the name be not blotted out of your hearts.

12 I say unto you, I would that ye should remember to retain the name written always in your hearts, that ye are not found on the left hand of God, but that ye hear and know the voice by which ye shall be called, and also, the name by which he shall call you.

13 For how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served, and who is a stranger unto him, and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart?

14 And again, doth a man take an ass which belongeth to his neighbor, and keep him? I say unto you, Nay; he will not even suffer that he shall feed among his flocks, but will drive him away, and cast him out. I say unto you, that even so shall it be among you if ye know not the name by which ye are called.

15 Therefore, I would that ye should be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works, that Christ, the Lord God Omnipotent, may seal you his, that you may be brought to heaven, that ye may have everlasting salvation and eternal life, through the wisdom, and power, and justice, and mercy of him who created all things, in heaven and in earth, who is God above all. Amen.

CHAPTER 6

King Benjamin records the names of the people and appoints priests to teach them—Mosiah reigns as a righteous king. About 124–121 B.C.

1 AND now, king Benjamin thought it was expedient, after having finished speaking to the people, that he should take the names of all those who had entered into a covenant with God to keep his commandments.

2 And it came to pass that there was not one soul, except it were little children, but who had entered into the covenant and had taken upon them the name of Christ.

3 And again, it came to pass that when king Benjamin had made an end of all these things, and had consecrated his son Mosiah to be a ruler and a king over his people, and had given him all the charges concerning the kingdom, and also had appointed priests to teach the people, that thereby they might hear and know the commandments of God, and to stir them up in remembrance of the oath which they had made, he dismissed the multitude, and they returned, every one, according to their families, to their own houses. (emphasis added by Neil Birch)

King Benjamin's people had great faith. By the Spirit of Prophecy and Revelation possessed by their great King Benjamin they had each come to know so clearly and surely and rejoice greatly about the eventual birth and perfect life and atoning sacrifice of their Savior Jesus Christ who was to be born in about 124 years from their time on earth.


That being so, I am positive that they would have also rejoiced had they been told through that same Spirit of Prophecy and Revelation by their King or an angel from Heaven or through some other like means, that a very wicked man,  Saul of Tarsus who sought so dilligently to persuade the Jewish people in Palestine (the nation from which King Mosiah and his people's common ancestor, Lehi was led, to a land located not far from today's nations of Mexico and Central America.) not to believe in Jesus Christ; but then he (Saul) became converted to our Lord and Savior by being spoken to directly by the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ and would subsequently become one of His apostles and one of His greatest advocates ever.

Saul's Conversion -as Depicted by an Unidentified Artist

A video account of the conversion of Saul by the voice of the Resurrected Jesus Christ speaking to him while he along with others was on the road to Damascus where they planned to further thwart the efforts of believers in Christ, which event brought about Saul's conversion to the Lord Jesus Christ, is presented by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

President Uchtdorf also explains how knowing about this very important event may eventually help each of us in our individual journeys "to Damascus" (or out of our unbelief) in this Mormon Messages video entitled:

Waiting on Our Road to Damascus by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

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DISCLAIMER
This Blog is not owned by or affiliated with the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the Mormon or LDS Church). The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the position of the Church.

____________


TO ACCESS NEIL BIRCH'S BLOG INDEX: To Either Read the Full Index Item Which Refers To This Blog Post, (Or To Search The Index For Any Other Blog Post You Desire To Access), After You Have Read All of This Paragraph, Please Scroll Back Up And Click on the Following: Conversion to the the Teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, along with your subsequent willingness to have become baptized members of that church; will allow you to have become a true follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. -Post 44i. When The Picture of Our Savior, Jesus Christ Sitting Next To a Little Boy Comes Onto Your Screen, Please Scroll Down In The Index To Your Target Item Or Use the Alphabetical Scrolling Device (When It Has Been Installed).

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"Have You Really Read the Book of Mormon?" Legal /Statement. Thank you for visiting. The author retains intellectual property and creative licensing rights. Permission to use or reprint must be given in writing. © Est.2008 Neil Birch Legal /Statement.
____________

I deeply appreciate your readership and hope you found very beneficial, that which was presented to you in this blog post.


If you have any questions about what you have read or viewed in this post or in any previous posts of mine, or if you even have a curiosity about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and or its teachings, please e-mail me. I'm Neil and my e-mail address is: jneilmelva@gmail.com. If you contact me I'll get back to you just as soon as possible.


I invite you to let your friends and relatives know about this blog if you think they would be interested in it. Please be advised that I also have an additional blog. It is in Spanish: Its content is translated from the English in this blog.

Neil Birch

Post 44h: The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ is a Great Gift to Each of Us From from Our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ. We Can Show Our Appreciation for this Great Treasure by Reading From it Frequently and Letting it Be Our Guide as the Prophet Moroni, the Son of Mormon, Invites Us To Do!

To Access This Blog's Index, Please Scroll Down To the Fifth Paragraph From the End of This Post!

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TODAY'S THEME:



The Angel Moroni Delivers the Plates of Gold, On Which Were Inscribed the Book of Mormon, to Joseph Smith, on the Hill Cumorah Located in the State of New York, in the United States of America in about 1830. -by Kenneth Riley

When still a mortal, before his death and then his subsequent resurrection, Moroni wrote a very personal message to each of us mortals whom he hoped would eventually read that sacred book, the greater portion of which was written by his father, Mormon.

Moroni knew very surely that which was written in that book, the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, would bring each of its many readers, including each of us, very special blessings which would make our lives more truly successful than any of us could ever imagine!

The following is the final chapter of the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ!  Please read every word of this very carefully and prayerfully:

Remember, these words are spoken personally to each of us (at first he mentions specifically the Lamanites of our day, descendants of those Nephite-Lamanites whom the Resurrected Jesus Christ taught during His visits with them after He had ascended into Heaven from Palestine and also who were those with whom he (Moroni) lived, and fought, for and against, but his words to them clearly apply to the rest of us too who are readers of the Book of Mormon, and then beginning in verse 24  Moroni addresses "all the ends of the earth" meaning, the rest of us who will eventually read his father's book, the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ :

THE BOOK OF MORONI

CHAPTER 10

A testimony of the Book of Mormon comes by the power of the Holy Ghost—The gifts of the Spirit are dispensed to the faithful—Spiritual gifts always accompany faith—Moroni’s words speak from the dust—Come unto Christ, be perfected in him, and sanctify your souls. About A.D. 421

1 Now I, Moroni, write somewhat as seemeth me good; and I write unto my brethren, the Lamanites; and I would that they should know that *more than four hundred and twenty years have passed away since the sign was given of the coming of Christ.

2 And I seal up these records, after I have spoken a few words by way of exhortation unto you.

3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.

4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

6 And whatsoever thing is good is just and true; wherefore, nothing that is good denieth the Christ, but acknowledgeth that he is.

7 And ye may know that he is, by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore I would exhort you that ye deny not the power of God; for he worketh by power, according to the faith of the children of men, the same today and tomorrow, and forever.

8 And again, I exhort you, my brethren, that ye deny not the gifts of God, for they are many; and they come from the same God. And there are different ways that these gifts are administered; but it is the same God who worketh all in all; and they are given by the manifestations of the Spirit of God unto men, to profit them.

9 For behold, to one is given by the Spirit of God, that he may teach the word of wisdom;

10 And to another, that he may teach the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

11 And to another, exceedingly great faith; and to another, the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

12 And again, to another, that he may work mighty miracles;

13 And again, to another, that he may prophesy concerning all things;

14 And again, to another, the beholding of angels and ministering spirits;

15 And again, to another, all kinds of tongues;

16 And again, to another, the interpretation of languages and of divers kinds of tongues.

17 And all these gifts come by the Spirit of Christ; and they come unto every man severally, according as he will.

18 And I would exhort you, my beloved brethren, that ye remember that every good gift cometh of Christ.

19 And I would exhort you, my beloved brethren, that ye remember that he is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and that all these gifts of which I have spoken, which are spiritual, never will be done away, even as long as the world shall stand, only according to the unbelief of the children of men.

20 Wherefore, there must be faith; and if there must be faith there must also be hope; and if there must be hope there must also be charity.

21 And except ye have charity ye can in nowise be saved in the kingdom of God; neither can ye be saved in the kingdom of God if ye have not faith; neither can ye if ye have no hope.

22 And if ye have no hope ye must needs be in despair; and despair cometh because of iniquity.

23 And Christ truly said unto our fathers: If ye have faith ye can do all things which are expedient unto me.

24 And now I speak unto all the ends of the earth—that if the day cometh that the power and gifts of God shall be done away among you, it shall be because of unbelief.

25 And wo be unto the children of men if this be the case; for there shall be none that doeth good among you, no not one. For if there be one among you that doeth good, he shall work by the power and gifts of God.

26 And wo unto them who shall do these things away and die, for they die in their sins, and they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God; and I speak it according to the words of Christ; and I lie not.

27 And I exhort you to remember these things; for the time speedily cometh that ye shall know that I lie not, for ye shall see me at the bar of God; and the Lord God will say unto you: Did I not declare my words unto you, which were written by this man, like as one crying from the dead, yea, even as one speaking out of the dust?

28 I declare these things unto the fulfilling of the prophecies. And behold, they shall proceed forth out of the mouth of the everlasting God; and his word shall hiss forth from generation to generation.

29 And God shall show unto you, that that which I have written is true.

30 And again I would exhort you that ye would come unto Christ, and lay hold upon every good gift, and touch not the evil gift, nor the unclean thing.

31 And awake, and arise from the dust, O Jerusalem; yea, and put on thy beautiful garments, O daughter of Zion; and strengthen thy stakes and enlarge thy borders forever, that thou mayest no more be confounded, that the covenants of the Eternal Father which he hath made unto thee, O house of Israel, may be fulfilled.

32 Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.

33 And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot.

34 And now I bid unto all, farewell. I soon go to rest in the paradise of God, until my spirit and body shall again reunite, and I am brought forth triumphant through the air, to meet you before the pleasing bar of the great Jehovah, the Eternal Judge of both quick and dead. Amen. (emphasis added by Neil Birch)

THE END

The promises made in that final chapter of the Book of Mormon by the prophet Moroni are sure and certain. Each word of that chapter was spoken to each of you individually and even to me and to my nine children and their mother and to others very close and important to me!

Now you will be provided with the opportunity to hear the actual words of youth from Eastern Europe in our day. They will demonstrate for you the great personal meaning the Book of Mormon provides each of them!

Messages From Heaven to Eastern European Youth

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DISCLAIMER
This Blog is not owned by or affiliated with the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the Mormon or LDS Church). The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the position of the Church.


____________

TO ACCESS NEIL BIRCH'S BLOG INDEX: To Either Read the Full Index Item Which Refers To This Blog Post, (Or To Search The Index For Any Other Blog Post You Desire To Access), After You Have Read All of This Paragraph, Please Scroll Back Up And Click on the Following: The Book of Mormon Was Written to Each and Every One of Us. A Mormon Messages Video, "Messages From Heaven to Eastern European Youth" is Included. -Post 44h. When The Picture of Our Savior, Jesus Christ Sitting Next To a Little Boy Comes Onto Your Screen, Please Scroll Down In The Index To Your Target Item Or Use the Alphabetical Scrolling Device (When It Has Been Installed).
___________

"Have You Really Read the Book of Mormon?" Legal /Statement. Thank you for visiting. The author retains intellectual property and creative licensing rights. Permission to use or reprint must be given in writing. © Est.2008 Neil Birch Legal /Statement.
____________

I deeply appreciate your readership and hope you found very beneficial, that which was presented to you in this blog post.

If you have any questions about what you have read or viewed in this post or in any previous posts of mine, or if you even have a curiosity about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and or its teachings, please e-mail me. I'm Neil and my e-mail address is: jneilmelva@gmail.com. If you contact me I'll get back to you just as soon as possible.

I invite you to let your friends and relatives know about this blog if you think they would be interested in it. Please be advised that I also have an additional blog. It is in Spanish: Its content is translated from the English in this blog.

Neil Birch

Post 44g: Revelation From God Throughout the Ages as recorded in Scriptures Such as The Holy Bible and the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, Guide True Believers to Live More Fully in Accordance With God's Laws and Thus Secure Eternal Blessings for Themselves and Encourage Their Posterity to do Likewise!

To Access This Blog's Index, Please Scroll Down To the Fifth Paragraph From the End of This Post!

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TODAY'S THEME:

An Unknown Artist's Perception of Nephi as he along with the rest of His Father Lehi's family and that of their relative Ishmael and his large family, after the events described in this Book of Mormon scripture below took place, traveled through an Arabian desert toward their promised land which was in the Western Hemisphere, with much desert and ocean travel ahead of them.

Please take note of Nephi's great trust in the Lord as is shown by him allowing himself to be led by the Lord in doing things he never before imagined himself doing!


1Nephi CHAPTER 4

1 AND it came to pass that I spake unto my brethren, saying: Let us go up again unto Jerusalem, and let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord; for behold he is mightier than all the earth, then why not mightier than Laban and his fifty, yea, or even than his tens of thousands?

Moses Parts the Red Sea by the Power of God -by Unknown Artist

2 Therefore let us go up; let us be strong like unto Moses; for he truly spake unto the waters of the Red Sea and they divided hither and thither, and our fathers came through, out of captivity, on dry ground, and the armies of Pharaoh did follow and were drowned in the waters of the Red Sea.

3 Now behold ye know that this is true; and ye also know that an angel hath spoken unto you; wherefore can ye doubt? Let us go up; the Lord is able to deliver us, even as our fathers, and to destroy Laban, even as the Egyptians.

4 Now when I had spoken these words, they were yet wroth, and did still continue to murmur; nevertheless they did follow me up until we came without the walls of Jerusalem.

5 And it was by night; and I caused that they should hide themselves without the walls. And after they had hid themselves, I, Nephi, crept into the city and went forth towards the house of Laban.

6 And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do.

7 Nevertheless I went forth, and as I came near unto the house of Laban I beheld a man, and he had fallen to the earth before me, for he was drunken with wine.

8 And when I came to him I found that it was Laban.

9 And I beheld his sword, and I drew it forth from the sheath thereof; and the hilt thereof was of pure gold, and the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine, and I saw that the blade thereof was of the most precious steel.

10 And it came to pass that I was constrained by the Spirit that I should kill Laban; but I said in my heart: Never at any time have I shed the blood of man. And I shrunk and would that I might not slay him.

11 And the Spirit said unto me again: Behold the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands. Yea, and I also knew that he had sought to take away mine own life; yea, and he would not hearken unto the commandments of the Lord; and he also had taken away our property.

12 And it came to pass that the Spirit said unto me again: Slay him, for the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands;

13 Behold the Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his righteous purposes. It is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief.

14 And now, when I, Nephi, had heard these words, I remembered the words of the Lord which he spake unto me in the wilderness, saying that: Inasmuch as thy seed shall keep my commandments, they shall prosper in the land of promise.

15 Yea, and I also thought that they could not keep the commandments of the Lord according to the law of Moses, save they should have the law.

16 And I also knew that the law was engraven upon the plates of brass.

17 And again, I knew that the Lord had delivered Laban into my hands for this cause—that I might obtain the records according to his commandments.

18 Therefore I did obey the voice of the Spirit, and took Laban by the hair of the head, and I smote off his head with his own sword.

19 And after I had smitten off his head with his own sword, I took the garments of Laban and put them upon mine own body; yea, even every whit; and I did gird on his armor about my loins.

20 And after I had done this, I went forth unto the treasury of Laban. And as I went forth towards the treasury of Laban, behold, I saw the servant of Laban who had the keys of the treasury. And I commanded him in the voice of Laban, that he should go with me into the treasury.

21 And he supposed me to be his master, Laban, for he beheld the garments and also the sword girded about my loins.

22 And he spake unto me concerning the elders of the Jews, he knowing that his master, Laban, had been out by night among them.

23 And I spake unto him as if it had been Laban.

24 And I also spake unto him that I should carry the engravings, which were upon the plates of brass, to my elder brethren, who were without the walls.

25 And I also bade him that he should follow me.

26 And he, supposing that I spake of the brethren of the church, and that I was truly that Laban whom I had slain, wherefore he did follow me.

27 And he spake unto me many times concerning the elders of the Jews, as I went forth unto my brethren, who were without the walls.

28 And it came to pass that when Laman saw me he was exceedingly frightened, and also Lemuel and Sam. And they fled from before my presence; for they supposed it was Laban, and that he had slain me and had sought to take away their lives also.

29 And it came to pass that I called after them, and they did hear me; wherefore they did cease to flee from my presence.

30 And it came to pass that when the servant of Laban beheld my brethren he began to tremble, and was about to flee from before me and return to the city of Jerusalem.

31 And now I, Nephi, being a man large in stature, and also having received much strength of the Lord, therefore I did seize upon the servant of Laban, and held him, that he should not flee.

32 And it came to pass that I spake with him, that if he would hearken unto my words, as the Lord liveth, and as I live, even so that if he would hearken unto our words, we would spare his life.

33 And I spake unto him, even with an oath, that he need not fear; that he should be a free man like unto us if he would go down in the wilderness with us.

34 And I also spake unto him, saying: Surely the Lord hath commanded us to do this thing; and shall we not be diligent in keeping the commandments of the Lord? Therefore, if thou wilt go down into the wilderness to my father thou shalt have place with us.

35 And it came to pass that Zoram did take courage at the words which I spake. Now Zoram was the name of the servant; and he promised that he would go down into the wilderness unto our father. Yea, and he also made an oath unto us that he would tarry with us from that time forth.

36 Now we were desirous that he should tarry with us for this cause, that the Jews might not know concerning our flight into the wilderness, lest they should pursue us and destroy us.

37 And it came to pass that when Zoram had made an oath unto us, our fears did cease concerning him. ( I suggest that Nephi's concerns about his two oldest brothers' not being inclined to serve God did not cease because of that which they would continue doing as you will soon see.)

38 And it came to pass that we took the plates of brass and the servant of Laban, and departed into the wilderness, and journeyed unto the tent of our father. (clarification and emphasis added by Neil Birch)



This is a simulation of the Golden Plates on which the Book of Mormon was inscribed, based upon the description given by Joseph Smith and the witnesses to the Book of Mormon. This simulation was made fairly recently by Steven Pratt.

The Brass plates of Laban Most likely were similar in appearance to the above simulation with the color, of course appearing as brass instead of gold. In the photo above it is simulated that the larger portion of these plates were sealed. There is no indication in the Book of Mormon that there was any sealing done in the case of the Brass Plates of Laban.



This is an example of Egyptian hieroglyphics which would most likely have some resemblance to the engravings on the Plates of Brass Nephi obtained from Laban's Treasury.

Now dear readers of my blog I desire to let the words of Nephi and his descendants and those of his brothers who trusted in God and in his prophet, Lehi, their father, convince you that Lehi and his fourth oldest son Nephi were guided by the Lord to do that which the Lord had them do so that they would have the guidance they needed from the Holy Scriptures that were contained on the plates of Laban in order to allow them to remain righteous and to hopefully guide the rebellious oldest two brothers, Laman and Lemuel to also seek to live righteously. My guess is that Nephi didn't have much hope for that ever happening! But I'm sure he did his best to help that happen!

Please remain patient with me while I, as briefly as possible, help you come to realize that the scriptures which were contained on the plates of Laban which Nephi had retrieved because of his great trust in the Lord as described above, were absolutely essential for the righteous among Lehi's family and of Ishmael, Lehi's close relative, and his family, to keep the blessings of the Lord continually coming to them throughout the rest of their lives and extend on into the future of their righteous descendants who would be preparing for the prophesied visit from the Lord Jesus Christ after His death and resurrection in about 600 years.

Now I will quote evidence given in the Book of Omni, one of the individual books found in the early part of the Book of Mormon, that the teachings of the prophets of God found on the Brass Plates of Laban which Nephi, the son of Lehi, through his great faith and determination to serve God had become the means of keeping a good number of the Nephites, and later on, even some of the Lamanites (descendants of Nephi's oldest brothers, Laman and Lemuel) faithful in serving God, even at times, having to go through extremly difficult circumstances over the years.
Please prayerfully and carefully read these verses from the Book of Omni mentioned above (written sometime between 279 and 130 B.C.)

12 Behold, I am Amaleki, the son of Abinadom. Behold, I will speak unto you somewhat concerning Mosiah, who was made king over the land of Zarahemla; for behold, he being warned of the Lord that he should flee out of the land of Nephi, and as many as would hearken unto the voice of the Lord should also depart out of the land with him, into the wilderness—

13 And it came to pass that he did according as the Lord had commanded him. And they departed out of the land into the wilderness, as many as would hearken unto the voice of the Lord; and they were led by many preachings and prophesyings. And they were admonished continually by the word of God; and they were led by the power of his arm, through the wilderness until they came down into the land which is called the land of Zarahemla.

14 And they discovered a people, who were called the people of Zarahemla. Now, there was great rejoicing among the people of Zarahemla; and also Zarahemla did rejoice exceedingly, because the Lord had sent the people of Mosiah with the plates of brass which contained the record of the Jews.

15 Behold, it came to pass that Mosiah discovered that the people of Zarahemla came out from Jerusalem at the time that Zedekiah, king of Judah, was carried away captive into Babylon. (sometime between 600 and 592 B.C.) 

16 And they journeyed in the wilderness, and were brought by the hand of the Lord across the great waters, into the land where Mosiah discovered them; and they had dwelt there from that time forth.

17 And at the time that Mosiah discovered them, they had become exceedingly numerous. Nevertheless, they had had many wars and serious contentions, and had fallen by the sword from time to time; and their language had become corrupted; and they had brought no records with them; and they denied the being of their Creator; and Mosiah, nor the people of Mosiah, could understand them.

18 But it came to pass that Mosiah caused that they should be taught in his language. And it came to pass that after they were taught in the language of Mosiah, Zarahemla gave a genealogy of his fathers, according to his memory; and they are written, but not in these plates.

19 And it came to pass that the people of Zarahemla, and of Mosiah, did unite together; and Mosiah was appointed to be their king.

Here again, dear blog readers is evidence that Lehi and his sons Nephi and Sam (the third oldest son of Lehi, with Nephi being the fourth oldest) were wise and inspired in choosing to trust in the Lord their God in allowing Him to guide them in obtaining the Brass Plates of Laban which contained the Books of Moses and the teachings of many of the inspired prophets of the Jews over many centuries which would guide them in righteous living and help keep them far from apostacy.

You now have been prepared to allow this Inspired Mormon Messages Video help each of you to more fully answer this very important question:

How Does the Spirit Send You Revelation?

After having just experienced this blog post which included the very touching and accurate video just above, I ask you an important question related to what you have just experienced. Was there complexity to the story which I excerpted from the Book of Mormon, and then did it all make sense after you put it all together in your mind and in your heart?  I'm sure that your answer would be in the affirmative.

To make that acount even more complicated it was the history of an ancient people who were offshoots of the Jewish Nation beginning in 600 B.C. and ending in about 400 A.D. 

What you read is true history although you personally may not yet be sure that is so, but even so I think you will fully disagree with the following critique that was made over PBS TV about four years ago Millions upon Millions of individuals and families viewed it over its two day showing and then a huge number reviewed it afterwards.

Now I have just prepared you to experience something I have inserted into many of my blog posts over the approximately four years I have been publishing this blog.

The criticism of the University scholar from Utah County, State of Utah is one that I think too many people accept as truth.  It was because of his criticism that I named this Blog: "Have You Really Read the Book of Mormon?"

I have, at times, over the course of writing the 313 posts in this my English language version of this blog thus far (Feb. 7, 2012), quoted a statement made by a professor from a State University here in the State of Utah in the United States of America concerning his own personal theory of how the Book of Mormon was written.

Of course, it was viewed by millions of viewers. In reading the quote below which I have included in a number of my blog posts over the years, you can easily realize that this professor has never really read The Book of Mormon! I quote his statement from the text of that PBS Documentary, "The Mormons:"


Professor Alex Caldiero of Utah State University, Orem, Utah, U.S.A.

"I hear Joseph Smith's voice every time I read it (The Book of Mormon). He was a farmer. He was young. He was unlettered and he put this all together. So you have this rough hewn kind of text..." Alex Caldiero, poet and scholar, Utah Valley University, (Clarification Added)

As I'm very sure that each of you will agree that the text from the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ that you have read in this blog post was not made up by an unlettered, unschooled and just plain young Joseph Smith. It is true history, but perhaps you are not yet ready to say that.

However, if you do ask the Lord in humble and sincere prayer He will assure you that it is true history! He has told me and many others I know that it is true history! I have no doubts!
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DISCLAIMER
This Blog is not owned by or affiliated with the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the Mormon or LDS Church). The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the position of the Church.


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TO ACCESS NEIL BIRCH'S BLOG INDEX: To Either Read the Full Index Item Which Refers To This Blog Post, (Or To Search The Index For Any Other Blog Post You Desire To Access), After You Have Read All of This Paragraph, Please Scroll Back Up And Click on the Following: Revelation From God Can Guide You Back to Him in This Lifetime and to Eternal Life When This Life Ends. The Mormon Messages Video: "How Does the Spirit Send You Revelation?" is included in this -Post 44g. When The Picture of Our Savior, Jesus Christ Sitting Next To a Little Boy Comes Onto Your Screen, Please Scroll Down In The Index To Your Target Item Or Use the Alphabetical Scrolling Device (When It Has Been Installed).

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"Have You Really Read the Book of Mormon?" Legal /Statement. Thank you for visiting. The author retains intellectual property and creative licensing rights. Permission to use or reprint must be given in writing. © Est.2008 Neil Birch Legal /Statement.

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I deeply appreciate your readership and hope you found very beneficial, that which was presented to you in this blog post.

If you have any questions about what you have read or viewed in this post or in any previous posts of mine, or if you even have a curiosity about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and or its teachings, please e-mail me. I'm Neil and my e-mail address is: jneilmelva@gmail.com. If you contact me I'll get back to you just as soon as possible.

I invite you to let your friends and relatives know about this blog if you think they would be interested in it. Please be advised that I also have an additional blog. It is in Spanish: Its content is translated from the English in this blog.

Neil Birch